Separator.



G. A. FOWLER.

SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 00124. 1914.

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GEORGE ALLEN FOWLER, OF MIAMI, ARIZONA, ASSIGNOR TO GRONVN MILL EQUIPMENT COMRANY, OF MIAMI, ARIZONA, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

SEPARATOR.

Original application filed June 10,1914, Serial No. 8

Specification of Letters Patent.

44,335. Divided and Patented July 20, 1915. this application filed October 24,

1914. ScrialNo.-8G8,467.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ALLEN FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Miami, in the county of Gila and State of Arizona, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Separators, (being a division of my copending application, Serial No. 844,335, filed June 10, 1914,) of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanylng drawings.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in separators, and is adivision of my co-pending application, Serial No. 844,335 and an object of my invention is to provide a novel and improved device especially designed and adapted for .use in connection with ore pulp.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a device of this general character including a novel and improvedscreening element, andfurthermore toprovide in connection with the screening element novel and improved meanswhereby'the possibility of clogging or obstructing-the same is substantially entirelyeliminated.

The invention consists 'in-the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of'my. improved separator whereby certam important advantages are attained and the device 1s rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise moreconvenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. r

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined'inthe appended claims. In order that my invention may be the better un'derstood,I will now proceed to'describe the same withreferenceto-the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partly 1n elevation and partly in section of a separator constructed in accordance with an embodiment of myinvention; Fig. 2 is atop plan view ofthe device as disclosed in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on theline 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through the screening element'as herewith embodied illustrating in detail certain features of construction; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the means herein employed for clampingthe wire cloth inoperative position; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scale illustrating certain details of my invention as herewith embodied; Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the driving mechanism for my improved screen ing element; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view enlargedin top plan of the screening element proper.

As disclosedin the accompanying drawings,i3.denotes suitably supported upstanding posts, the upper extremities whereof being provided with the caps 4 to which is suitably secured the spider 5 the central or hub portion 6 beingprovided with the opening through which isdirected the tubular member 8, the lower extremity whereof being provided with the radially. disposed curved arms 9, for a purpose to be hereinafter more particularly referred to. The member 8 is adapted to be axially rotated andfor this purpose has its upperprojccted portion provided, as herein disclosed, with a worm gear 10 in mesh with a worm shaft 11 operatively coupled with a motor 12 supportedby a plate 14 secured in any desired manner tocertain of thespokes or arms 15 of the spider 5. The shaft l1,'as hereindisclosed, is operatively. supported in the bearings l6 suitably. secured to the plate 14 and the motor 12, as disclosed, is of an electrical type, although it will be .readily perceived that should the necessities of practice so require, the shaft-1'1 maybe suitably coupled with any other form. ofpower.

In order to facilitate-the rotation of the member 8, I secure to the upper portion of the hub 6the annular fiat member 17 surrounding the opening 7 and concentric to the member 8 and provided in its upper sur facewiththe concentric raceways 18 adapted to receive the anti-friction members, herein disclosed as spherical bodies, and such anti-friction members, 19 are engaged by the annular memberEZO, herein disclosed as suitably afiixed tothe under surface of the gear 10 whereby it .will be readily perceived that the rotation of the member 8 may be maintained with'a minimum of friction.

While I do not wish to limit myself as to an exact manner for securing the gear 10 to themembers, Ifind it in practice desirable toprovide the hub 21 of the gear 10 with the openings 22, disposed in parallel planes and at opposite sides of the axial center of said gear 10 and through which are inserted the tapered keys 23, the adjacent peripheral portions of the member 10 being recessed to permit the passage of such keys whereby it will be perceived that an eflective connection between the gear 10 and member 8 is permitted. I also find it of advantage to have the upper extremity of the member 8 threaded, as indicated at 24, and engaged by the nut or bur 25, for reasons which are believed to be self-evident. In order to maintain the keys 23 against displacement, I have operatively engaged with the reduced extremities thereof the nut or bur 26 also operating in a manner which is believed to be obvious.

To the lower extremities of the arms 9 is suitably afiixed the annular member 27 disposed transversely on a suitable taper, preferably at an angle of forty-five degrees, while integrally produced with the upper marginal portion of such member 27 is the outwardly disposed segmental flange 28 serving as a gutter or launder and into which the ore is adapted to be discharged from the crusher or grinder.

Depending from the annular member 27 and secured to the outer face thereof and disposed on the same angle are the elongated members 29 suitably secured at their lower extremities to a second annular member 30 disposed at the axial center of the member 27 and positioned in the same degree of inclination. Each of the members 29, as herein disclosed, comprises two parallel angle bars 31 positioned in close proximity one to the other but in a slight separation, and secured to the upper flanges thereof is an elongatedplate 32 provided at its transverse center with the longitudinally disposed groove 33 extending from end to end and which is adapted to receive the depending lips 34 disposed on the inner longitudinal margins of theclamping bars 35 where it will readily be perceived that the reticulated body or screen cloth 36 will be effectively maintained in operative assemblage. The reticulated body or screen cloth 36 may be of any predetermined mesh and in order to effectively secure the upper longitudinal marginal portions thereof to the respective members 27 and 30, I find it of advantage to employ the annular clamping members 37, suitably secured to the respective members 27 and having their upper surfaces disposed on such bevels or inclinations as to form no obstruction to the passage of ore thereover.

The member 30 is provided with the dependent mouth 38 provided on its periphery with the outwardly disposed annular flange 39 to which is suitably secured the substantially cone-shape member 40, the maximum diameter of which being in excess of the mean diameter of the annular member 27 and the flne particles of ore discharged within the screening element, as afforded by the members 27 and 30 and their concomitant parts, are adapted to fall thereon together with a portion of the fluid accompanying such ore, for a purpose which will be shortly related.

It is essential that an effective means be provided for preventing the mesh of the body or cloth 36 from being clogged or obstructed, and, as herein disclosed, I provide for this purpose the annular member 41 surrounding the upper portion of the reticulated body or mesh 36 and anchored to the blocks 42'herein disclosed as projecting between the members 31 and rigidly secured thereto in any desired manner. This annular member 41 is adapted to receive the blows fromthe pneumatic hammers 43 adjustably supported upon the posts 3 and which may be of any desired construction. I have found in practice that the blows of the hammers 43 upon the annular member 41 result in such vibration of the reticulated body or cloth 36 as to effectively prevent the mesh thereof from becoming clogged or obstructed. As the exact manner of mounting the hammers 43 upon the posts 3 forms no part of my present invention, it is believed that a further detailed disclosure thereof is unnecessary. V

Suitably supported below the coneshaped member 40 is the receiving member or tank 46 having its upper open end provided with the outwardly disposed annular trough or launder 48 disposed below the. peripheral portion of the said member 40 and into which the matter falling upon said member 40 is adapted to discharge and be conveyed through the outlet 49 to a'concentrator or the like. The coarser particles of the ore which cannot pass through the reticulated body of the screen or cloth 36 are discharged through the mouth 38 directly into the container or tank 46 for a purpose which is set forth in my co-pending application, Serial No. 844,335, of which my present application is a division.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a separator constructed in accordance with my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the severalpartsherein shown in carrying out my invention in practice. p I claim:

1. A device of thecharacter described comprising a screening element including two spaced annular members, pairs of spaced bars connecting said member, a reticulated body secured to said bars, blocks secured between each pair of bars and depending therefrom, a rigid annular member secured to said blocks and surrounding the screening element, and means for striking said annular member for vibrating the screening element.

2. A device of the character described comprising a screening element including two spaced annular members of differing diameters, plates connecting said members provided with longitudinally disposed grooves at substantially their transverse centers, a screen cloth overlying said plates and bridging the space between the annular members, clamping bars secured to the plates and provided with lips projecting within the grooves of the plates screen cloth in applied position.

3. A device of the character described, com

for maintaining the prising a screening element including two spaced annular members of differing diameters, plates connecting said members provided with longitudinally disposed grooves at substantially their transverse centers, a screen cloth overlying said plates and bridging the space between the annular members, clamping bars secured to the plates and provided with lips projecting within the grooves of the plates for maintaining the screen cloth in applied position, and annular clamping members coacting with the annular members for securing the ends of the cloth to the annular members, the upper marginal portions of the annular clamping members being beveled.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE ALLEN FOWLER. Witnesses:

WV. J. ELLERY, W. D. HILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

